Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines.



M. G. CHANDLER. ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1912.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

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M. G. CHANDLER. ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES;

APPLICATION FILED APR.1, 1912. 1,080,92. Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. G. CHANDLER.

ROTARY VALVE FOB. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1912.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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UNITED ETATES FATE @FIQ.

MILFORD G. CHANDLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHANDLER ENGINEVALVE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

Application filed April 1, 1912. Serial No. 687,766.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILFORD Gr. CHAND- LER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Rotary Valve forInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Rotary and oscillatory valves, as commonly provided, to properly performtheir functions must at all times closely fit the valve-casings in whichthey operate in order that leakage around the valves be prevented. Whilea valve device for use under conditions in which it is not subjected tohigh temperatures may be so constructed that the requisite journal fitof the valve in its casing may be afforded, great skill and accuracy inmanufacturing the valve-device is required. lVhen the valve-device is tobe used under conditions wherein it is subjected to relatively greatheat, and especially relatively great changes in temperature, it isimpossible that it be so constructed as to afford at all times theproper journal fit in the casing in which it operates, because of thecontraction and expansion of the valve and its casing. Thus, if a valveis constructed of a diameter sufficient to permit it to operate whenheated, without undue friction in its casing, the clearance between itand the casing must of necessity be so great as to cause leakage aroundthe valve when relatively cold; and if so constructed, as to afford thedesired journal fit in its casing when cold, it will bind in its casingwhen heated.

Various attempts have been made to provide constructions of rotary andoscillatory valves for internal combustion engines which will notpresent the above referred to objections, but all such attempts, so faras I am aware, have not been entirely successful as the valve deviceswhile in some cases avoiding the above stated objections, have presentedother disadvantages which render them objectionable.

My primary object is to provide novel and simple improvements in valvesof the type stated whereby they may be economically manufactured, shallavoid the above stated objections and shall operate effectually underall conditions of use to prevent leakage around the valves of the gaspressure controlled thereby.

I have devised my improvements for use in connection with valves forinternal combustion engines for controlling the admission of the chargesto the engine cylinder or cylinders, or the exhaust of burnt gasestherefrom, or both, as desired, and I have therefore illustrated it inthe drawings in this connection.

Referring to the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a view in verticalsectional elevation of the upper end portion of an internal combustionengine equipped with valve-mechanism of the strictly rotary type,constructed in accordance with my invention for controlling both theinlet to and exhaust from the cylinder, the section being taken at theline 1 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 is asection taken at the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of thearrow. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the valvedevice illustrated in Fig. 2 showing in elevation one of the similarbushings employed, and the packing-member surrounding the bushing. Fig.4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the bushing and surroundingpacking-member in section. Fig. 5 is a face view of a spring ring forcooperation with the packing-member. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation ofthe inner end of the packing-member illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, thisview showing the contour of that end of the packingmember which bearsagainst the valve proper. Fig. 7 is a View in elevation of one end ofthe bushing illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4:; and Fig. 8, a view invertical sectional elevation of an internal combustion engine, theillustrated cylinder of which is equipped with separate valves of thestrictly rotary type, constructed in accordance with my invention forcontrolling the inlet to and exhaust from the cylinder.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the upper portion of a cylinder ofan internal combustion engine of the four-cycle type is illustrated at10 and is formed with a hollow cylindrical head 11, provided internallynear one end with a centrally apertured web or plate section 12, thehead 11 in the construction illustrated being cast integrally with thecylinder 10 and presenting a cylindrical bore 13. The head 11 containsports 14, 15 and 16, the port 14 opening into the interior of thecylinder 10 and forming the inlet to and exhaust from the cylinder, andthe ports 16 and 15, which are diametrically opposed and midway betweenwhich the port 14 is located, being adapted for connection with thesource of fuel supply, as for example, a carbureter (not shown), andwith the exhaust-pipe of the engine, respectively.

Located in the head 11 is the valve-casing proper 17 of the valve, whichis openended, as represented at 18, and is formed as hereinafterdescribed. The casing 17 contains the valve-proper 19 of my improvedvalvedevice, the valve 19, which is in the form of a section of asphere, containing a port 20 which is of sufiicient size to open theport 14 to the ports 15 and 1G successively, said valve having journalfit in the casing 17, the conformation of the interior of the casing 17corresponding with the conformation or contour of the periphery of thevalve 19.

The casing 17 and valve 19 after being assembled prererably ashereinafter described, are inserted into the head 11 to the positionillustrated in Fig. 1 and secured therein as by bolts 21, which passthrough the casing 17, web 12 and plates 22 and 23, the plate 22 seatingagainst an end of the casing 17, and the plate 23, which has a centrallydisposed boss 24 thereon in which the stem 24" of the valve 19 isjournaled, seating against the outer surface of the web 12.

The valve-casing 17, which is stationary, contains openings 25, 26 and27, which register with the ports 14, 15 and 16 respectively, andscrewed into the openings 25, 26 and 27, are bushings 23, having reducedinner ends 29 to afford annular recesses 30 between the bushings 2S andthe walls of the openings 25, 26 and 27 in the casing 17, the recesses30 opening into the interior of the casing 17. Located in the recesses30 and movable therein radially of the center of the valve 19, arepacking-members 31 which are preferably in the form of rings of anysuitable material, the ends of the members 31 which are held in contactwith the periphery of the valve 19, as hereinafter described, being soshaped, as represented, as to conform to the spherical contour of theperiphery of the valve 19. Means are provided for holding thepacking-members 31 in contact with the valve 19 at all times. Anysuitable means for this purpose may be provided, those shown in thedrawings comprising rings 32 of spring metal containing annular seriesof spring fingers 33 cut from the body of the rings 32. The rings 32 areconfined in the recesses 30 between annular shoulders 34 on the bushingsand the inner ends of the packing-members 31, the parts described beingso constructed and arranged that the fingers 33 of the rings 32 will beunder tension and press the packing-members 31 against the periphery ofthe valve 19 with the desired degree of pressure for preventing theescape of fluid-pressure around the valve from the ports which theysurround.

The valve 19 may be operated in any suitable manner to time itsrotation, and consequently the opening and closing of the ports 16 and15 to the port 14, for the introduction of charges into the cylinder andthe exhaust of the burnt gases therefrom, with relation to the enginepiston 10, but as mechanism for this purpose in connection with rotaryvalves of the general type to which my invention relates is commonlyused and is well known in the art and as my invention does not relate tomeans for rotating the valve, a description of valveoperating means isdeemed unnecessary.

The valve-casing 17 is preferably formed integrally, excepting as to asegmental portion thereof at its upper end represented at 35, theportion 35 of the casing 17 being separate from the body of the casingand adapted to be secured in place to render the casing 17 continuous,as by screws 36, after the valve 19 is inserted into the casing 17, theinner wall of the upper end portion of the casing 17 adjacent to thesegment 35 being cut away as represented at 37, to permit the valve tobe introduced into the casing 17. The segment 35 is of a length slightlyin excess of the width of the valve 19 and thus the valve 19 may beintroduced into and seated in the casing 17 by inserting the valve intosaid casing cross-wise of the latter through the opening in the casing17 which is filled by the segment 35 when the latter is in place. Inintroducing the valve into the casing 17, as stated, it is introducedthrough said last referred {to opening and the open end of the casing 17at right angles to the position the valve occupies in Fig. 1, and afterit has been thus inserted into the interior of the casing 17, it isgiven a quarter turn therein to properly position it for operation inthe casing as shown in Fig. 1, wherein its p riphery is concentric withthe internal surface of the casing 17.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 8, the valve means forcontrolling the inlet to the engine cylinder and exhaust therefrom,instead of being in the form of a single valve device, is formed of twovalve devices which are constructed in accordance with my invention, onefor controlling the the interior of the cylinder 38. Secured in thebores 42 to be stationary therein are cylindrical valve-casings 45, theinterior surfaces of which are of spherical conformation, as in the caseof casing 17, the easings 45 containing openings 46 in registration withthe openings 43 and 44. Confined in the openings 46 are bushings 47packingmembers 48 and rings 49 of the same construction and arranged inthe same manner as described of the bushings 28, packingmembers 31 andrings 32 respectively of the preceding figures. The casings 45 containrotary valves 50 of the same construction as the valve 19 and operate inthe same manner as these valves, the packing-members 48 bearing againstthe peripheries of the valves 50 and thereby operating to preventleakage of the fluid-pressure around the valves.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 8 the valve casing 45 in theextension 41 is ported, as indicated at 51, and opens into a passage 52in said extension which in practice would be in communication with asource of gas supply not shown, as for instance, a carbureter, whereasthe valve-casing 45 in the extension 40, which is ported as indicated at53, opens into an exhaustpassage 54 in said extension.

It will be understood that the valves 50 may be rotated in any suitablemanner, as is well known in the art, for properly timing relative to thepiston 38 of the engine, the opening of the passage 52 to the interiorof the cylinder 38 and the opening of the exhaust 54 to the cylinder foradmitting charges to the engine and the exhaust of spent gases therefromat the proper times. Furthermore, the cost of manufacturing a valve inaccordance with my invention is relatively low and the parts of thevalve may be readily turned, in the process of manufacturing them, totheproper condition for insuring a tight joint.

It will be manifest that by constructing a valve in accordance with myinvention, the desired clearance between the valve proper and the casingin which it operates may be provided for preventing the binding of thevalve therein when used under conditions subjecting it to extreme heat,without impairing the tightness of the valve.

IVhile I have illustrated and described my invention as embodied in avalve of the strictly rotary type in that in its operation it is rotatedcontinuously in but one direction, it will be manifest that it may beembodied in a valve of the oscillatory type.

Itwill be understood that the feature of my invention consists inproviding of spherical form that portion of the valve, whether it bestrictly of the rotary or of the oscillatory type, which traverses thepacking member surrounding the port to be controlled during the timesaid port is closed, and thus in its preferred form, the valve is in theform of a section of a sphere. It will be understood, however, that solong as that portion of the periphery of the valve which moves againstthe packing member while the port to be controlled thereby is closed, isof spherical form, it matters not how nearly the valve is a completesphere.

By using the word rotatory in the following claims I wish to beunderstood as intending to claim thereby any valve which moves about anaxis, as for example, those commonly termed rotary valves andoscillatory or rocker valves.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Thecombination with an internal combustion engine having a port, of arotatory valve for controlling said port adapted to be operated in timedrelation to the piston of the engine, and a packing member surroundingsaid port and hearing at an end thereof against said valve, that portionof said valve which traverses said packing member being of sphericalform and the end of said packing member which bears against said valveconforming to the spherical surface of the latter and the bearingdiameter of said member being substantially less than the sphericaldiameter of the valve, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a port, ofa rotatory valve for controlling said port adapted to be operated intimed relation to the piston of the engine, and a packing membersurrounding said port and bearing at an end thereof against said valve,and means for forcing the end of said packing member against said valve,that portion of said valve which traverses said packing member being ofspherical form and the end of said packing member which bears againstsaid valve conforming to the spherical surface of the latter and thebearing diameter of said member being substantially less than thespherical diameter of the valve, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine havingaportedvalve-casing, of a rotatory valve in said casing adapted to be operatedin timed relation to the piston of the engine, and a packing membersurrounding the port in said casing and hearing at an end thereofagainst said valve, that portion of said valve which traverses saidmember being of spherical form and the end of said member which bearsagainst said valve conforming to the spherical surface of the latter andthe bearing diameter of said member being substantially less than thespherical diameter of the valve, for the purpose set forth.

&

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a portedvalve-casing, of a rotatory valve in said casing adapted to be operatedin timed relation to the piston of the engine, and a packing ringsurrounding the port in said casing and bearing at an end thereofagainst said valve, that portion of said valve which traverses said ringbeing of spherical form and the end of said ring which bears againstsaid valve conforming to the spherical surface of the latter and thebearing diameter of said ring being substantially less than thespherical diameter of the valve, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with an internal conibustion engine having a portedvalve-casing, of a rotatory valve in said casing adapted to be operatedin timed relation to the piston of the engine, a packing membersurrounding the port in said casing, and means for pressing the end ofsaid member against said valve, that portion of said valve whichtraverses said member being of spherical form and the end of said memberwhich bears against said valve conforming to the spherical surface ofthe latter and the bearing diameter of said member being substantiallyless than the spherical diameter of the valve, for the purpose setforth.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a portedvalvecasing, of a rotatory valve in said casing adapted to be operatedin timed relation to the piston of the engine, a packing membersurrounding the port in said casing, and spring means for pressing theend of said member against said valve, that portion of said valve whichtraverses said member bein of spherical form and the end of said memberwhich bears against said valve conforming to the spherical surface ofthe latter and the bearing diameter of said member being substantiallyless than the spherical diameter of the valve, for the purpose setforth.

7. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a portedvalve-casing, of a rotatory valve in said casing adapted to be operatedin timed relation to the piston of the engine, and a packing membersurrounding the port in said casing and radially disposed relative tothe center of said valve and bearing at an end thereof against saidvalve, that portion of said valve which traverses said member being ofspherical form and the end of said member which bears against said valveconforming to the spherical surface of the latter and the bearingdiameter of said member being substantially less than the sphericaldiameter of the valve, for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a portedvalve-casing, of a rotatory valve in said casing adapted to be operatedin timed relation to the piston of the engine, a packing membersurrounding the port in said casing and radially disposed relative tothe center of said valve, and means for pressing the end of said memberagainst said valve, that portion of said valve which traverses saidmember being of spherical form and the end of said member which bearsagainst said valve conforming to the spherical surface of the latter andthe bearing diameter of said member being substantially less than thespherical diameter of the valve, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a portedvalve-casing containing an inwardly-opening recess on its inner surface,a rotatory valve in said casing adapted to be operated in timed relationto the piston of the engine, and a packing member in said recess andsurrounding the port in said casing and bearing at an end thereofagainst the said valve, that portion of said valve which traverses saidmember being of spherical form and the end of said member which bearsagainst said valve conforming to the spherical surface of the latter andthe bearing diameter of said member being substantially less than thespherical diameter of the valve, for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a portedvalve-casing containing an inwardly-opening recess on its inner surface,a rotatory valve in said casing adapted to be operated in timed relationto the piston of the engine, a packing member in said recess andsurrounding the port in said casing, and means in said recess forpressing the end of said member against said valve, that portion of saidvalve which traverses said member being of spherical form and the end ofsaid member which bears against said valve conforming to the sphericalsurface of the latter and the bearing diameter of said member beingsubstantially less than the spherical diameter of the valve, for thepurpose set forth.

11. In a valve device of the character described, the combination of itsvalve-casing containing a port-opening, a rotatory valve in said casing,a bushing confined in said port-opening, and a packing membersurrounding the inner end of said bushing and bearing at an end thereofagainst said valve, that portion of said valve which traverses saidmember being of spherical form and the end of said member which bearsagainst said valve conforming to the spherical surface of the latter,for the purpose set forth.

12. In a valve device of the character described, the combination of itsvalve-casing containing a port-opening, a rotatory valve in said casing,a bushing confined in said port-opening, a packing member surroundingthe inner end of said bushing, and means for pressing the end of saidmember against said valve, that portion of said valve which traversessaid member being of spherical form and the end of said member whichbears against said valve conforming to the spherical surface of thelatter, for the purpose set forth.

13. In a valve device of the character described, the combination of itsvalve-casing containing a port-opening, a rotatory valve in said casing,a bushing confined in said port-opening and having its inner end ofreduced diameter to afford with the wall of said opening a recess on theinterior of said casing and surrounding said bushing, and a packingmember in said recess and hearing at an end thereof against said valve,that portion of said valve which traverses said member being ofspherical form and the end of said member which bears against said valveconforming to the spherical surface of the latter, for the purpose setforth.

14. In a valve device of the character described, the combination of itsvalvecasing containing a port-opening, a rotatory valve in said casing,a bushing confined in said port-opening, and having its inner end ofreduced diameter to afford with the wall of said opening a recess on theinterior of said casing and surrounding said bushing, a packing memberin said recess, and means for pressing the end of said member againstsaid valve, that portion of said valve Which traverses said member beingof spherical form and the end of said member which bears against saidvalve conforming to the spherical surface of the latter, for the purposeset forth.

15. In a valve device of the character described, the combination of acasing having a spherical interior, and a valve in the form of a segmentof a sphere, said casing being formed integrally excepting a segmentalportion thereof of greater area than the longitudinal cross-sectionalarea of said valve.

16. In a valve device of the character described, the combination of aported casing having a spherical interior, and a valve in the form of asegment of a sphere, said casing being formed integrally excepting asegmental portion thereof beyond the port in said casing and of greaterarea than the lon gitudinal cross-sectional area of the valve.

17. In a valve device of the character described, the combination of aported casing having a spherical interior, a valve in the form of asectional sphere in said casing, said casing being formed integrallyexcepting a segmental portion thereof, beyond said port, of greater areathan the longitudinal cross-sectional area of said valve, a bushinghaving its inner end of reduced. diameter secured in the port in saidvalve-casing and forming with the wall of said port an annularinwardly-opening recess, a packingring located in said recess andsurrounding the opening through said bushing, and spring means confinedbetween said bushing and ring operating to force and hold the latter inclose frictional engagement with the spherical surface of said valve,the end of said ring which bears against said valve conforming to thespherical surface of the latter.

MILFORD G. CHANDLER. In presence of- O. C. AvIsUs, A. C. FISCHER.

Gopies oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

, v Washington, D. 0.

